Email is a critical element in digital fundraising for nonprofits, and it should be part of an integrated fundraising strategy. Why? About a third of all online fundraising is driven by email. And online giving increased by nearly 8% last year.
So if your nonprofit isn’t using emails in your fundraising campaigns, you should start right away. And no matter how often your nonprofit sends fundraising emails, there are a few simple steps you can take to make sure each email is fully optimized to drive donations to your cause.
Lawrence Direct Marketing, Inc. recently released our “12 Essential Email Fundraising Tips” to help nonprofits get the most out of every email. Here’s a summary of our tip sheet:
1. Set Your Goal
Before you start typing, determine what you want to achieve with your email.
2. One-on-One
Always speak personally to your donors as if you were having a one-on-one conversation.
3. Subject Line!!
Your email needs to stand out and compel your donor to open it. So make sure your subject line grabs their attention.
4. Real Sender
Putting a real person as the sender makes the email itself more personal and more likely to be opened.
5. Personalize
The simplest and most important thing to do regarding personalization is to address the recipient by name.
6. Clear CTA
Your CTA should be clear and concise with action-oriented words like “Donate” or “Register.”
7. Moving Images
Use images that are pertinent to the story you are telling but also emotionally compelling.
8. Landing Pages
Emails are short and to the point, but fundraising often requires a more detailed sell. The answer to this dilemma is the Landing Page.
9. Social Sharing
On every email you send, make sure you have active social sharing icons.
10. Unsubscribe
When someone unsubscribes from your e-newsletter, it doesn’t mean you’re dead to them. They still want to hear from your in other ways. But that will change if you don’t honor their initial request.
11. Mobile Ready
Last year, 18% of all online donations came from mobile devices. And that number is expected to increase.
12. Test and Test
Every element of a campaign can, and should, be tested – that includes images, subject lines, overall design, and even content. Find out what people respond to, and use that data to sculpt each and every email.
